Sacrificial Love
by KristenLynn
Summary: To love is to sacrifice. Edward gave it all for Bella. Now she's in a race against time—and the Volturi—to get it back. ExB/Post-Eclipse AU/canon
1. Sacrifice

**Summary: **To love is to sacrifice, and Edward will give it all for Bella. "Where is she, Edward?" a familiar, cold voice asked. "She's gone," I spat. "And you'll never find her." O/S for the ADF "Pain, Tears, Angst" LD weekend contest. ExB/Post-Eclipse AU/canon

**A/N: **I've been wanting to dabble in AU again, and prompted o/s contests seem to be a great way to get me inspired to do it. LOL. And once again, I have a tortured, canon Edward… *Sigh* Why can't I write happy canon stuff?

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3 **for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** This is definitely not the ending that Stephenie Meyer envisioned for her favorite sparkly vamp and his beloved…

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sacrificial Love<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Edward<strong>

The voices caught me by surprise.

I'd had no warning, and it was now far, far too late for us to run.

"Bella, love?" I called gently.

She appeared instantly, and she was smiling, unaware of the danger. Rushing to her side, I kissed her lightly on the forehead.

"What was that for?" She laughed.

Before I could answer, my phone chirped. I flipped it open.

"_Edward_…" It was a panicked whisper.

"It's too late, Alice."

"I'm sorry, Edward. So sorry. I didn't see until just now. Why couldn't I see?" she wailed.

"They didn't want us to see. "

"What do we do now?"

For ten years, everything had gone according to plan. The plan had changed a time or two, but life for Bella and me had been good. Better than I ever could have imagined.

During the honeymoon, Bella had decided to stay human for a while longer. We spent a year together at Dartmouth, experiencing college together before her change. Surprisingly, she'd been willing to remain human until we could graduate, but fate had interfered, forcing our hand. We'd been on the run ever since.

And now, it seemed, fate had finally caught up with us.

"Nothing," I finally answered my sister. "There's nothing we can do. It's too late."

I squeezed my eyes shut hoping to hide my panic. It wouldn't do for Bella to see how frightened I was at that moment. I flipped the phone shut and slipped it into my pocket. Squeezing her supple body to mine, I kissed her again.

"Edward? What's wrong? What's happening?" Bella asked, alarm evident in her tone.

Opening my eyes, I looked down at my mate with anguished eyes. "I'm sorry, love. I had no warning—"

My explanation was interrupted by a knock on the door. A firm and determined knock.

"Is it…" Her voice trailed off. She didn't need to finish her question for me to understand what she was asking.

"Yes."

"Let's go—"

"No," I interrupted. Now that their stealth was no longer necessary, my mind was inundated with voices. Too many voices. There would be no escape. Not this time. "It does us no good to run. Not now. They have us outnumbered, love, and they've brought their prized tracker. He's already honed in. He can sense my… disquiet."

She nodded, slipping her arms around my waist.

Early on, we hadn't realized the Volturi's true intentions when it came to Bella. I'd mistakenly thought they would leave us alone once she was turned. But for unchanging creatures such as ourselves, any new… anomaly… was an intrigue. Bella, as a mere human, had been immune to the mental powers of the most powerful of our kind. It had been a taunt, a challenge, a _threat_ to the Volturi. One that they could not leave unattended. For ten years, Aro had been trying to claim her for his own. We hadn't been able to divine the true nature of his desire—did he just want her for his guard, or for more personal reasons—but either way, he was here for her now.

Unless I could stop him.

"It's okay, Edward. We'll deal with them. We'll go to Volterra, and we'll—"

I halted her words with my lips. It was a frantic kiss, yet at the same time the most deliberate that I had ever given her. I worshipped her with my mouth, attempting as best as possible to convey the infinity of my emotions with this one, simple, final gesture.

When I lifted my head, I was glad to find her eyes glazed with desire and love. I only hoped I had distracted her enough. Pulling her into a rough hug, I whispered as quietly as possible into her ear.

"Go, Bella."

She pulled back and looked at me in confusion. "You just said that we—"

Placing a finger against her lips, I once again halted her words. "It's too late for us, love."

Anxiety churned in her golden eyes, and even with the enormous comprehensive capacity of her vampire brain, she still didn't grasp my words. I smiled sadly at her. Ten years ago, I had vowed to love, cherish and protect her. That was what I would now do. It's what I had to do to ensure that she lived on. She had to exist.

Leaning in, I whispered, "But not for you."

Gripping her elbow firmly, I guided her towards the back of the room and opened the secret passageway that we had created just for this purpose, should it arise.

"No!" she cried, comprehension finally dawning.

"It's the only way."

I kissed her once more, then sprung the trap door. It slid silently shut, separating us. A pregnant hush fell, but only for a moment. That silence was brutally broken by another pounding knock. As I crossed the room, a barrage of dialog filled my head. Aro was communicating silently with the tracker, but they were still unaware of what had just happened inside the small cottage. I only hoped that my sacrifice would allow Bella the time she needed to escape.

With a deep—albeit unnecessary—breath, I opened the door.

Even though it was expected, the pain was immediate, and I dropped to my knees, screaming in agony.

"Where is she, Edward?" a familiar, cold voice asked.

I glanced up to find Aro staring at me pointedly. He nodded to the small dark-haired vampire at his side. The pain diminished slightly, enough for me to answer.

"She's gone, Aro," I spat. "And you'll never find her."

"You can't stop me," he cackled, stepping forward with outstretched hand.

I couldn't let him touch me.

Springing forward, I charged the tracker. Catching him off-guard, he reacted defensively, just as I'd anticipated. His hands closed around my neck and jerked reflexively. A smile touched my lips as darkness descended.

"I love you," I whispered, knowing she would hear.

The last thing I heard was Aro's frustrated scream.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I know, I know… It seems as if someone must die in all of my AU stuff. *sigh* Hopefully, Edward's sacrifice will help to save Bella in this case.

I know this short story probably left a few questions… My pre-reader asked a few that I'll answer here in case you guys are wondering the same thing.

Q: Wouldn't the Volturi be able to track Bella by scent. A: Maybe, if they could find her trail in an open area. But, since E/B live at the cottage, her scent would be completely saturating in/around the house, making it hard to find her.

Q: Won't they follow her in the passage? A: The hidden passage is just that, hidden. So if they could find a way in, yes, they could follow her scent. As constructed, they won't find it easily, if at all (which is the reason Edward had to sacrifice himself before Aro could touch him; if Aro could see into his mind, they'd know where and how to access the doorway to the passage).

Q Why didn't Edward just run for it with Bella? A: Demetri tracks by sensing the tenor of vampire minds. As Edward mentioned to Bella, he'd already locked onto Edward's mind, so it was too late for Edward to run; wherever Edward goes now, Demetri will be able to find him. Bella, on the other hand, is immune to the 'mind tricks' of other vamps, so she can traverse the passageway undetected by the tracker. By staying behind, Edward was planning to distract the Volturi, both with his mind and with his death, in the hope that it would give Bella some time to get away.

Q: Why can't Bella just shield Edward like she did in the book so that they can escape together? A: This story is a post-Eclipse alternate ending. In this world, the events of BD—beyond the wedding and honeymoon—didn't happen (and in fact, were not allowed to even be mentioned per rules of the contest). Instead, Bella, Edward and the rest of the Cullens have been on the run for ten years, constantly moving to stay ahead of the Volturi. Therefore, there has been no intense training for any sort of confrontation. As such, no one has pushed Bella to discover the true extent of her powers, and neither she nor Edward is aware that she can extend her shield to protect others.

Thanks for reading.

KL


	2. Run

**New Summary: **To love is to sacrifice. Edward gave it all for Bella. Now she's in a race against time—and the Volturi—to get it back. O/S for the ADF "Pain, Tears, Angst" LD weekend contest, NOW BEING CONTINUED. ExB/Post-Eclipse AU/canon

**A/N: **As soon as I was done with the original o/s, I realized that that couldn't be the end of the story, and ideas for what might happen next started formulating in my mind. I've wanted to dabble in AU for a while now, and this seems like the perfect opportunity to do so. I'm going to challenge myself with this one just a bit; keeping with the word limit of the first chapter, I am going to restrict myself to exactly 1000 words per chapter (as counted on Word, since we all know that counts on FFn are complete crap! You'll just have to trust me on it. LOL). Additionally, I'll be working a bit differently on this one compared to all other my other stories which have pretty much been completely mapped out before beginning. Yup, I'm winging it. I know generally where I'm going (and the important twists), but getting there will be an interesting journey. As such, I have no defined posting schedule—I'll just be posting when inspiration strikes, though I will do my best to update regularly.

A few things to remember: **This is a post-Eclipse AU story**. As such, the events of BD, other than the wedding and honeymoon, did NOT happen. There is no half-demon spawn here, and as alluded to in the first chapter, Bella opted to stay human for a while after the honeymoon. In fact, in this world, she would have been happy as a human for a few more years (at least long enough to finish college). When the Volturi finally tracked them down a year after the wedding, Edward changed her so that she would be less fragile and easier to protect. They've been living on the run and in partial seclusion ever since to avoid detection. However, Aro has gotten impatient and now wants Bella as a trophy. At this point, no one—not even Bella—is aware of how her shield works. Or its power. Important note: while the characteristics/powers of the established Cullen vampires will remain true to canon, I will be expanding on Bella's powers in this story.

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3 **for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. While the main characters will be making an appearance here, I'm aiming for this story to be something completely different. No copyright infringement is intended.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sacrificial Love<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Bella<strong>

_Edward kissed me, then sprung the trap door. It slid silently shut, separating us. Despite the wall between us, I heard the knock at the front door as if I was still standing in the main room. After a slight pause, Edward crossed to the door and took a deep breath before opening it. The sound of his knees hitting the floor was as loud as a gunshot in my ears, and I had to slap a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming out in agony with him._

"_Where is she, Edward?" a cold voice asked._

"_She's gone, Aro," Edward snarled. Pain was evident in his voice, as was defiance when he spoke again. "And you'll never find her."_

"_You can't stop me," Aro cackled._

_Suddenly there was a flurry of activity, accompanied by a low grunt. I wasn't sure what was happening, although it was obviously some sort of scuffle. As I was trying to sort out the sounds, to figure out who attacked, a horrendous screeching sound ripped through the air. I'd only heard that sound once before—when Edward had severed Victoria's head from her body more than ten years ago—but it was one I'd never forgotten. My entire body began shaking with dread._

_Although separated by several walls, his quiet whisper echoed through my head as if he had shouted it from the highest mountain._

"_I love you." _

_Someone screamed, which prevented me from having to do so. _

In that moment, I realized I hadn't fully comprehended what Edward had intended to do. I'd naively thought that he'd meant to buy me some time to get away, that he would use his mind-reading ability to glean whatever knowledge he deemed necessary, then escape. We had a plan—an evacuation plan, complete with a place to meet if we became separated. Ever since we learned that the Volturi wanted me, we hadn't functioned without a _plan_.

This wasn't part of it.

With nothing more than a screech and a scream, I was lost, left rudderless on a very rocky sea. For more than ten years, my life had revolved around Edward. He'd been the one to take control, to plan, and to execute each of our moves. But now, in less than a minute, he'd thrown every plan we'd ever concocted out the window. I had no clue what to do. My brain—my infinitely expansive vampire brain—couldn't comprehend what had just happened. For a moment, I was frozen. But only for a moment. Then shock and… _rage_… kicked in.

_They had just killed my mate._

All of a sudden, a future that I had never looked or planned for was laid out bleakly before me. It was a future that I didn't want: an eternity without Edward.

_No!_ My brain refused to accept that possibility. _It isn't supposed to be like this! We're supposed to be happy. We're supposed to live forever. Together._

If my heart had still been beating, I would have said that I could feel the blood pumping furiously through my body. As it was, something inside me was seething and surging, inundating every immobile cell and metaphorically oozing from my pores. After undergoing the transformation, a vampire supposedly remained unchanged for the rest of eternity, but I now knew that wasn't true, because I could feel myself altering somehow, becoming harder, more knowledgeable, more aware. Just… _More_.

The wrathful force inside me bubbled closer to the surface, surrounding my brain and mutating it. It changed the way that I thought. It changed… me.

Quiet, complacent Bella was pushed to the side by something stronger, driven, and cunning. Something much more powerful. Something feral. It surged through my entire being, energizing each and every nerve. While my body pulsed with awareness, my mind reached out, searching for answers. As I searched mentally, my physical senses became more attuned as well; I could _feel_ the energy disseminated by the bodies outside the cabin, I could smell the sickly-sweet scent of each one of them, and I could hear their voices clearly, even though they weren't speaking.

They were in chaos over the attack on Edward. Aro was furious. In fact, his retaliation was as brutal and unexpected as Edward's sacrifice had been. Demetri never saw it coming. It was a quick and efficient dismemberment.

"Burn it," he commanded. "Quickly."

Listening carefully, I determined that there were five other vampires with him; several of them were now terrified for their lives. One, however, was angry. Very angry.

"What about him?" she asked.

While the voice was steady, revealing nothing, I could _feel_ her anger. Aro, however, distracted as he was by Edward's sacrifice, overlooked the obvious signs.

"No!" Aro shouted. "Not him. We'll need him, if we are to find _her_."

Confused by his words, I stretched my mind further in an attempt to discern anything that would indicate whether Edward was still alive. Suddenly, to my surprise, I found my mind linked intimately with someone whose inner thoughts and emotions matched my own perfectly. Through her eyes, I was able to visualize the destruction outside our home. Edward was on the ground, his head and limbs severed from his body. The image alone brought me to my knees, and I longed to go to him. To bring him back. Before I could move, Aro took over the task; dropping to the ground, he reassembled the body and began doing something. I could only assume it was a vampire version of medicine. The other vampire—the vampire whose mind I was sharing—watched on, seemingly detached. But I knew the truth. I felt her wrath, her… _hate_.

A plan began forming in my mind.

Knowing that Edward was safe—for now, at least—I did what he had wanted me to do, what he had sacrificed himself for. I turned and ran down the tunnel.

Life as I'd known it was over. I was now running towards a new, uncertain future.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Since Edward has been incapacitated, we're obviously going to be hearing from Bella for a while. That said, I promise that we'll eventually get back to Edward's side of the story.

Thanks for reading!

:)

KL


	3. East

**A/N:** OK… After posting the last chapter, I decided that I can't just wing it, so earlier this week, I sat down and outlined this story. It looks to be somewhere around 50 chapters, although each will only be 1K, so it won't really be that long word-wise. I also decided that I need a posting schedule to keep me on track, so I am now planning to update on Saturdays. Since this one will be short, if I write more than one chapter a week, there may possibly be more than one post/week. I've also realized that this story will eventually earn an "M" rating, so I've gone ahead and changed it.

That's it for now. Hope you enjoy!

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3 **for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sacrificial Love<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Bella<strong>

I was cautious exiting the tunnel. Though a good distance from the cottage, it wasn't far enough for me to _not _be detected should I make an obvious noise. Crouching down so that I was mostly hidden by the surrounding foliage, I took a moment to watch and listen to the activity taking place in front of our home. A fire had been lit; it was burning brightly, and the sickly-sweet scent of burning flesh tickled my nose, letting me know the tracker had been disposed of. Permanently. I took that as a positive turn of events, even though Edward had assured me that he never would have been able to track me. Not with my immunity to vampire mind-tricks.

Three of the six visitors were visible, standing outside the front of the house and staring at the general area where I had last seen Edward. Stretching my mind and concentrating carefully, I was able to pick up snatches of their conversation. Aro was on the ground, still working on Edward. The remaining two vampires were inside the house, presumably looking for clues to my whereabouts. They hadn't found the secret passage yet, but if Aro successfully healed Edward, it would only be a matter of time.

Turning away from the house, I followed the predetermined trail. As soon as I was safely out of sight, I began running. Fear and uncertainty spurred me on, chasing close behind and nipping at my heels. It was fight or flight, and my sense of self-preservation was so strong that I didn't slow for quite some time. Functioning on autopilot, I blindly followed the escape route we had established. In fact, _The Plan_ was so ingrained in my mind that it took quite a while for me to recognize that the prepared route was the last course I needed to be on; as soon as Edward regained consciousness, Aro would be able to read his mind, and our prearranged meeting point would no longer be safe.

My feet slowed to a halt with that realization. Looking around, I took stock of the situation. The sun had settled beneath the horizon, and the day was coming to a close. I'd been on the move for at least three hours, so I was probably halfway to Denali.

Edward and I had been living in northern British Columbia for the past six months. It was the first time we'd been this close to my past life in almost eight years. We'd spent the first year after my transformation in Siberia. That's not a euphemism; we actually lived _in _Siberia. Edward had felt it was the safest location for us for several reasons: the human population was sparse, so I wouldn't be tempted, and very few vampires were known to inhabit or visit that area. Therefore, we would likely not be detected. For all intents and purposes, it truly was a wasteland. As a human, I'd complained about the weather in Forks, but the Olympic peninsula was a tropical paradise compared to the Arctic.

From there, we'd slowly travelled westward, spending some time in northern Russia and Western Europe before finally returning to North America. We'd migrated through Canada over the past several years, making temporary homes in Northern Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan before settling in an area surrounded by several nature preserves a few hundred miles to the east of Juneau. From the time we'd settled there, I'd felt safe and secure.

That sense of security was now gone. As long as Aro was alive, I doubted that I would ever feel safe again.

Just thinking about Aro caused me to worry anew. Every plan that Edward and I had ever concocted involved the two of us running from danger together. For ten years, I'd relied on his knowledge and deferred to his judgment. I'd allowed Edward to take control of our lives and our safety. It suddenly dawned on me that I'd never asked the right questions or formulated my own theories. I hadn't really wanted to—I'd been happy just being with Edward.

But now? Now, Edward was gone and I needed help.

I needed my family.

Unfortunately, we hadn't seen them since the short period of time following my transformation. Edward had felt that it was safer for all involved if they didn't know our exact whereabouts and vice versa. He didn't want the Volturi coming after them in search of us. We talked by phone every few months, just to check in, but it wasn't the same. They hadn't been thrilled by our self-imposed seclusion—Carlisle had tried on multiple occasions to convince us to return to "the fold," and Alice practically cried each time we spoke—but while I missed them terribly, I agreed with Edward one-hundred percent on this point. I refused to put them in harm's way because of me.

Reaching into my pocket, I frowned when I discovered that I didn't have my wallet or phone. I must have left them on the dresser in our bedroom. A lot of good they did there… At least the phone wouldn't provide any helpful information to those who were now hunting me. It was a pre-paid unit, and I hadn't entered any numbers into memory—all the numbers I needed were stored in my head. The call log would be equally unhelpful; I'd only made a handful of calls in the past few months. All were to Edward.

I sighed in frustration. I was in the middle of nowhere, with no viable plan of action, no money or identification, and no means of communication. I also knew that I had very little time to contemplate my next move. Aro was the most powerful of our kind, and as soon as he revived Edward, he would be coming for me. I had to keep moving.

But not forward—the path to Alaska was now the path to death.

Turning away from everything familiar, I began running in the opposite direction.

East.


	4. Burn

**A/N:** Sorry for the update delay; RL got in the way last week with work and personal commitments. That said, part of what I wrote got moved to ch5, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to post the next installment early as an apology.

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3 **for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

* * *

><p><strong><em>Sacrificial Love <em>**

* * *

><p><strong>Edward<strong>

Rebirthed through fire, I regained consciousness.

Pain washed through me in excruciating waves of torture. I was consumed by flames that licked against my entire body in alternating flashes of searing heat and freezing cold. It was unrelenting, like the timeless oceans, ebbing and flowing within me—sometimes gently, sometimes violently, but always there.

Always burning.

For what felt like hours, there was nothing but fire. There was no sound other than the crackling and popping of my body as it was broken down and reforged in the blistering inferno. There was no sensation beyond the burning agony—my arms, legs and mind were immobilized by the pain. There was no smell outside of the choking smoke. There was no ground, no sky. No light, no dark. No Heaven. Only Hell.

There was silence, flames, and pain.

Eventually, the fiery torment began to recede, and feeling began to seep back into my extremities. The rush of sensation was just as painful as the fire had been. More so, in some ways. As feeling oozed back in, I became hyper-aware of the ground beneath me; against my skin, each blade of grass scratched and each grain of sand abraded. Smoke singed my nose, pungent and sickly-sweet… The scent of death. The sound of voices, choppy and fragmented, began to filter through the unnatural and eerie silence of my mind; although they were only a few whispered words, to my overly sensitive ears, it sounded as if someone was shouting.

Struggling against the paralysis that encompassed my entire body, I tried to move my hands, my legs, my… _anything_, but my efforts were futile. Despite the prickles of awareness that travelled up and down my arms and legs, I still couldn't move. I felt like l was trapped in a body that was failing me. I couldn't understand it. Why couldn't I move? Who was here, talking but not helping me? Couldn't they see that something was wrong?

The voices came as if through a wind tunnel.

"What's happening, Aro?" This voice was female, almost child-like.

"I'm not sure," a masculine voice answered in frustrated, yet intrigued tone. "This is an entirely novel situation that we find ourselves in now. I've never tried to… _save_… one that was so far gone before. We usually finish them off then leave while the fire is still burning."

_Finish them off?_

"When will he awaken?"

"I don't know exactly." A pause. The masculine voice was troubled when it spoke again. "It is taking far longer than I expected. He _should_ have recovered by now—he's healing, not undergoing a true transformation. However, his body was nearly destroyed; the amount of venom required was substantial. More than I've ever injected before."

_Transformation? Venom? _

"Will that be a problem?"

"I hope not. I need him; I need his memories. But I won't know until he wakes up."

"So we wait?"

"For now, it appears that's all we can do."

_Wait for what?_

The voices quieted, and in the absence of any further conversation to focus on, I drifted back into an almost dreamlike state. The pain was nearly gone now, lingering only at my shoulders, hips and neck in a dull, throbbing ache. The uncomfortable tingle from earlier had settled in my fingers and toes; it felt as if my hands and feet had fallen asleep. A pebble pushed against my spine. It wasn't painful, per se, but I knew it was there and couldn't do anything about it. The longer I lay there, motionless, the more irritating it became. I yearned to move—if only to find relief from the point that had lodged into my back—but my body was still immobilized. I became so focused on the annoyance of the stone that I could not think of anything else. As such, it took me a while to realize that my mind was blank, that I had no recollection of anything beyond the fire and the pain.

Who was here? And not only that, _why_ were they here? From the conversation I had just overheard, the man had saved me—_healed_ _me_—because he needed me for something. But what did he need me for? I began to panic. What had happened? Why was my body frozen?

And why the hell could I not remember anything?

Focusing inward rather than outward, I tried to recall anything that could provide a clue as to my current situation. Unfortunately, there was nothing. Only fuzzy darkness and a foreboding sense of doom. My mind was a black hole. It was a terrifying feeling. The harder I tried to remember, the more panicked I became. I could sense that something was locked away in my mind, just beneath the surface. Something important. Something I needed to know but just couldn't remember.

My moment of panic was interrupted when an intensely painful burning sensation flared at my hips, shoulders and neck. With a final cracking pop, the ache that lingered in those locations disappeared. It was as if my arms, legs and head had suddenly been reattached to my body, and the neurons that connected each of them to my brain had been instantly repaired. Another, entirely different rush of sensation flooded my limbs, and with it, life was abruptly returned to all of my extremities.

Taking a deep breath, I catalogued each of the scents that inundated my nostrils. The acrid smoke was strongest, but beyond that, I smelled damp earth, foliage, the saccharine scent of my visitors—I could sense at least six separate entities—and something else familiar, something that I knew deep-down was my… _home_. I attempted to make a fist, and this time, my fingers obeyed the command from my brain; curling inward, they dug a hole in the dirt underneath my hand. Shifting slightly on the ground, I forced the previously-annoying pebble into the earth beneath me.

"Aro!" the feminine voice called. "Something is happening."

Taking another fortifying breath, I forced my eyes open.


	5. Voices

**A/N:** As promised, I'm posting this one early. Sorry for the delay over the weekend. Hopefully I'll get the next one written in the next day or two.

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3 **for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sacrificial Love<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Edward<strong>_

I was lying on the ground in a small copse of trees. From the corner of my eye, I spotted a shake-shingle roof. Directly above me, the sky was a dull, slate gray—the shade that appeared either at dawn or dusk. I had no idea which one it might be. I had no sense of space or time.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I was bombarded by conversation. There were at least four separate voices, and they were all talking at once. They weren't whispering, but I could not make out the words; each voice was distorted, as if it were coming from behind a closed door. I tried to concentrate on one single voice in order to make some sense of the discussion, but the harder I tried, the more garbled the words became. It was disconcerting. After a moment, the constant, droning din became too much to bear. Raising my hands, I covered my ears. It didn't help. The voices were just as noisy, just as distressing.

Suddenly, one voice spoke. It was loud and clear, unlike the rest.

"Be still!" it commanded. "Clear your minds."

While the words did not make sense, the cacophony inside my head quieted, although it did not fade away entirely.

A figure stepped into my peripheral vision.

"Edward! Welcome back. You had us worried."

The voice from earlier greeted me. It was cheery, as if welcoming an old friend, but there was something behind the words—something that had the hair on my neck standing on end in warning. Warily, I turned my head in the direction from which it had come. A sharp, cramping ache in my neck accompanied the motion. I grimaced.

The man was tall and thin. He was adorned all in black, starting at his feet and going all the way to his head—black shoes, black pants, black shirt, and black… _robes_? Even his hair was black, an absolute contrast to the pale, pasty skin of his face. He was walking in my direction and eyeing me curiously, an air of… sympathy, maybe… in his dark gaze.

"I'd like to apologize for Demetri's actions earlier. I assure you that he was _not_ acting under my orders. His impetuousness has been duly… punished."

He nodded his head toward the smoldering remains of a fire. Smoke was still rising, its acrid odor an affront to my nostrils. I frowned in confusion.

_Someone had been burned for what they had done to me?_

The quiet hum of distorted whispering began anew. While I couldn't decipher the words, I could sense the mood of several voices: three were frightened—short, punctate mumbling was a clear indication; one was curious, questioning; and one was… angry. Fuming, actually. The anger was not directed at me, as far as I could tell, but it was impossible to ignore. I shivered slightly at the malevolence that I detected.

Feeling disadvantaged by my prone position, I righted myself. The movement from vertical to horizontal caused my head to spin, my vision turning fuzzy for a moment. For just a second, I squeezed my eyes shut against the dizzying sensation. Without my sense of sight, my other senses immediately compensated. The voices I could still hear whispering grew louder in my mind. I became aware of each and every thing that I was touching—the grass beneath my palms, the tattered clothes on my body. Air filled my lungs, and my brain instantly catalogued each scent. And suddenly, the back of my throat began itching and burning with the need for hydration and nourishment.

I opened my eyes and looked around. Six people were standing in the yard in front of a small cabin in the woods. They were all watching me intently, as if they were expecting something to happen. I could still hear the voices, but surprisingly, none of their mouths were moving. The feeling of panic began to expand inside of me. My focus was diverted when the man who had spoken came to a halt next to me.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice concerned.

I couldn't answer; my tongue was immobilized in my mouth, heavy and thick. And dry. Oh, so dry. My entire mouth yearned for something wet to soothe the ache. Reaching up, my hand settled against my throat.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. You must be thirsty. We should hunt."

_Hunt?_

"But first, I need some information from you."

Reaching out his hand, he looked at me expectantly. I just stared, unsure of what he was asking or what he expected. After a moment, his kindness and concern was revealed to be an act. Irritation flashed on his features and from his tongue.

"Take it, Edward," he hissed. "You know what I want, and I _will_ have it one way or another. Far better to give in willingly…" He glanced at the small vampire by his side and smiled coldly.

As soon as my hand slid into his palm, it felt as if he had reached inside my head and squeezed my brain. It was an uncomfortable sensation, and it caused me to gasp. I _felt_ his frustration when he came up against the wall. He pushed and shoved, exerting his will against the emptiness that was my mind, to no avail.

"What are you doing, Edward?" he asked in annoyance.

_Nothing_, I thought, still unable to form the words.

"Nothing? _Nothing_? How are you keeping me out?"

_Keeping you out_? _I don't understand…_

The man's eyes narrowed. "You know better than to play games with me, Edward," he chided with a disapproving tsk.

He nodded his head toward the woman at his side, and I was overwhelmed by pain. I screamed, but the only sound that emerged was a dry, rasping squeak. If I wasn't already on the ground, the pain would have dropped me, for sure.

"You _will_ tell me what I want, Edward," he stated furiously. "Where is she? Where is Bella?"

.

.

.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Uh oh. Poor Edward… He has no idea about what is going on right now. Then again, maybe he's best off _not_ knowing!

Thanks for reading.


	6. Hungry

**A/N:** Once again, I find myself needing to apologize for a late update. Sorry guys, but I've been suffering with a bad back for the past four days. I'll be out of town this weekend, so I'll try my best to get the next chapter written and posted before we go.

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3 **for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

* * *

><p><strong><em>Sacrificial Love<em>**

* * *

><p><strong>Bella<strong>

I ran for hours. All through the night, I pushed forward, separating myself from everything that had ever mattered. Leaving Edward behind felt… _wrong_. With each step, my heart demanded that I turn around and go back. But Edward had sacrificed himself for my safety, and I owed it to him to protect myself, to avoid the Volturi at all costs. It was what he wanted.

As my feet raced across barren stretches of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, questions raced through my mind. Had they healed him? Was he okay? Was he as worried about me as I was about him? What information would he provide them when he woke? Where would they take him? What would they do with him? To him? And ultimately… How could I get him back?

Unfortunately, I didn't have answers to any of those questions. I could only hope that Edward had survived; I couldn't begin to imagine life without my mate. Yet at the same time, I knew that if the Volturi had been successful in resuscitating him, I would never be safe again; they wouldn't rest until they found me. Not now. That fact was the only thing that drove me onward.

I had no idea where I was going; I just knew that I needed to run as fast and as far as possible. Running blindly and by instinct, I stayed on an easterly course. I was careful to avoid cities and settlements, although this far north, it wasn't that difficult, and with the cover of night I was protected by darkness. When I came to lakes or streams, I submerged myself and swam, knowing the water would help to disperse my scent trail.

By the time the sun began to peak over the horizon, I'd reached the Hudson Bay.

I'd been running for more than fourteen straight hours by that point, in one direction or another. I wasn't necessarily tired, but my body felt drained. I'd never before tested the limits of my vampire strength or speed in this way. There'd never been a reason to. Everything with Edward had always been planned meticulously, plotted and measured in a way that would maximize our travel and minimize our energy consumption. All activity was meant to train my body, not exhaust it.

The way I was feeling now was quite different. I was exhilarated from the continuous exercise, venom coursing through my entire body in an adrenaline-like high. But once I stopped moving, that high faded rather quickly. I found myself feeling sore and shaky. And suddenly, very, very empty. A dry ache tickled at the back of my throat.

It took me a moment to make the connection.

In almost ten years of traveling with Edward, we had always hunted prior to our departure. If long journeys were planned, hunting stops were scheduled along the way. Thinking back, I realized that it had been a while since I'd last fed—several days at least. And in my need to get as far away as possible, I hadn't stopped once during the night to replenish my energy stores either. My body was now demanding nourishment; my throat was burning wildly, and my limbs were practically shaking with need.

I'd never felt this… _hungry_… in all my time as a vampire.

Rational thought began to fade as the need to feed took over. Luckily, I was in the middle of nowhere; I'd seen no evidence of civilization in the past hour of my travels, so I didn't have to worry about potential witnesses. Closing my eyes, I listened carefully to the sounds coming from the forest behind me. There was the scurrying of rodents and the harsh cries of birds, both of which I eliminated as insufficient; I required large prey in order to replenish the massive amount of energy I'd exerted in the past day. As soon as I registered the unmistakable sound of thick, wet blood pumping through the hearts and veins of several larger animals, the remaining vestiges of humanity fell away, and the predator within me took over.

Concentrating on the sound, I determined that there were three deer in a clearing a few hundred yards to my north. Inhaling deeply, I breathed them in—the dusty dirt and dried sweat on their hides, the full and rich bouquet of their lifeblood. Before a plan of attack even formed in my mind, my feet had already carried me downwind of my intended meal in preparation for my upcoming attack. Venom pooled in my mouth, and my entire body quivered in anticipation as I began stalking my quarry.

Weaving between the trees, I closed the distance on the deer. They were drinking from a small pond. There were two adults and an older fawn, the remnants of spotting still visible on its haunches. I immediately focused in on the larger of the two adults—a male, as evidenced by the velvety growth on top of his head. While protective and potentially deadly in battle, the antlers gave me an advantage. And a target. I leapt across the clearing and grasped his regal crown in my hands. Giving a quick twist, I snapped his neck cleanly. He was dead before his companion even noticed anything was wrong. With a startled trumpet, she bounded away, her fawn following closely behind.

By the time the body hit the ground, my teeth were already buried in his neck. Blood splashed hot and wet against the back of my throat, soothing the burning ache. I guzzled greedily, draining him quickly in a desperate attempt to refuel. When I was through, my body no longer shook with deprivation, but I was by no means satisfied; the blood had been absorbed by my exhausted body almost as quickly as I'd downed it.

I needed more. I still had more travelling to do later in the day.

Closing my eyes once more, I listened to the sounds of the forest and prepared to hunt in earnest.


	7. Phone

**A/N:** So… Bella's on the run. Nowhere in my research does it tell me how fast SM's vamps can run, so I'm taking a bit of liberty in that area. I'm estimating in the 150-200mph range, since it's been established that vamps can travel much faster than cars, and that they can move more quickly than the human eye can see. Speeds in that range would allow Bella to traverse Canada in the time-frame that I've presented here. I also made substantial changes after both my beta and pre-reader looked at this, especially in the final scene; any mistakes are mine.

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3 **for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sacrificial Love<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Bella<strong>

Throughout the morning, I hunted, slowly replenishing the energy I'd depleted while running cross-country last night. It took more than I expected—more than I'd ever before needed—in order to feel replete. The first deer had only been an hors d'oeuvre to my starving body, and I'd quickly followed it up with a five-course meal. By the time I was finally satisfied, the sun was high in the morning sky.

In my rush to eat, I hadn't been neat. My clothes were stained with the lifeblood of my meal. My hands and arms were filthy, covered in dirt and the bodily fluids of my prey. My hair was a matted mess, full of plant debris and more blood. In short, I was an absolute mess. And I had no way to clean up.

I headed back to the bay and turned south. Following the coast, I resumed running, at a more moderate pace this time; I had no desire to deplete my reserves again. When I spotted the first signs of civilization, I decided to swim once more. Submerging myself, I could travel southward undetected, and I might even be able to clean up a bit in the process.

Although my swim took several hours, the sun was still shining brightly when I reached landfall at the southern tip of the bay. After pulling myself from the water, I took stock. While the water had cleaned my skin and hair, my clothes were still a tattered mess. Between my glittering skin and disheveled appearance, if anyone spotted me, they would be alarmed at the least. Taking care to remain unseen, I headed south.

I was reasonably certain that the Volturi wouldn't be able to track me beyond my point of entry into the water. The area they would need to search was far too vast for a handful of people to properly patrol—I'd swum several hundred miles. For the first time in almost twenty-four hours, I relaxed a bit. Release from anxiety allowed me to think while I ran, something I hadn't been able to do in the past day despite the infinite capability of my brain; I'd been too concerned with the immediate need to escape to consider anything else.

But now? I needed to contact my family. Edward was… _incapacitated_… and I needed a new support system.

I began thinking—_really thinking_—about where I would go next. I had no clue where the other Cullens were living, or where they might be at the moment, as Edward hadn't told me. With the turmoil of the past day, I could only hope that Alice would be able to see my decision. Relying on Alice's foresight wasn't enough, though. I had to talk to them. As soon as possible.

To do that, I needed a phone. And in order to find a phone, I needed to come in contact with… _people_. That was something I'd yet to do on my own, even after almost ten years —Edward had limited our contact with humans to make things easier for me. It was also something I couldn't do in my current state of disarray; I'd have to act covertly.

I'd been travelling for a few hours when I finally noticed increased signs of civilization. The sun had set by the time I reached the outskirts of a town in southeastern Ontario. Protected by darkness, I perused the area. It was a small town, not much bigger—or different—than Forks, its city center consisting of a grocery store, a post office, and a few local hangouts. It wasn't hard to locate the local tavern; bright lights and loud music identified it easily. All I had to do was wait…

The opportunity presented itself sooner than I expected when a couple stumbled out into the parking lot. The woman stormed to a car and yelled at the man before slamming the door. I didn't need to hear her angry words to know he was drunk; I could smell the alcohol from more than a hundred yards away. After she drove off, he wandered back to the bar and collapsed on a bench outside the front door. As soon as his breaths evened out, I slipped from my hiding spot and ran silently to his side. Luckily, I was still full from my morning meal, so his blood, while appealing, wasn't a serious temptation. I quickly and gently patted him down, sighing in relief when I located his cell phone and eased it from his pocket. I felt bad for taking it, but it _was_ a matter of life or death.

I dialed the number I'd committed to memory as I ran. Alice answered before it even rang.

"Bella?" Her voice was short, anxious.

"Yeah, Alice, it's me."

"Thank God!" she cried. Then she started talking, rapid-fire. "Everything went blank last night right after I talked with Edward. Are you okay? Where are you? All I've seen are flashes of trees and water, but it's all moving so quickly, I can't pinpoint any particular location."

Just hearing her voice caused relief to wash through me. My feet slowed to a halt and my breaths, even though they were unnecessary, came in panting snivels as emotion finally took over.

"No," I sobbed. "Nothing is alright. Edward sacrificed himself for me, Alice. But I can't talk about that right now. I've been on the run for more than a day. I think I'm safe, though, for now?"

A moment of silence, then, "Yes, you're good. They're not following you." More silence. "They're—" she paused and gasped, "with Edward. He's alive, Bella. But… Something's not right." Her voice was frustrated. "Where are you?" she asked again.

"Somewhere in southern Ontario. I'm headed south."

"Yes, I know." She snorted. "Seriously, Bella… Niagara Falls?"

I almost smiled.

"It was the only place I could think of. I'll be there in a few hours. Where are you?"

"We're on our way, Bella. We'll see you soon."


	8. Sparkle

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay-had some RL work and family commitments last week and over the weekend. I'm hoping to write the next chapter today, and if I do, I'll do my best to post it early.

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3**for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sacrificial Love<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Edward<strong>

"_You __will __tell __me __what __I __want, __Edward,__" __he __stated __furiously.__ "__Where __is __she? __Where __is __Bella?__"_

At the name, my chest tightened. Something familiar tickled at the blank recesses of my mind. A flash of dark hair, a glimpse of brown—no _golden__—_eyes… For one brief moment, I felt as if the confusion, the emptiness, might finally start to clear, as if I might finally find some answers. I tried my best to focus on the fuzzy image of a woman's face, but as quickly as it had come, the vision was gone, fading into the swirling abyss of nothingness, just like everything else.

"No!" I screamed, my throat burning violently as air was forced over that tender flesh, fanning the flames that simmered there.

Somehow knowing that everything important to me revolved around her, I reached blindly in the direction of the departing image, as if attempting to hold onto that fleeting apparition. I grasped nothing but air. Fisting my fingers, I slammed my hand into the ground in frustration. When I looked down, I was shocked to find that I had buried my arm up to my elbow in the ground. Pulling it out of the now-crumbling dirt, I flexed my fingers experimentally, surprised to find my skin unharmed. _How_… But the question of _how_ was quickly replaced by _what_ when the sun rose above the trees, warming me with its bright, cheery rays and causing my skin to sparkle brilliantly.

"What are you doing, Edward?" the angry voice growled once again.

My head snapped up. I shuddered when I met the gaze of the person addressing me—in the spotlight of the morning sun, his irises were a startling blood red. He was still gripping my hand tightly, and I could still feel an uncomfortable, probing presence in my mind.

"You can't keep me out forever. You're not that strong." His eyes narrowed. "You wavered for just a moment when I mentioned her name." He paused, and then said it again, drawing it out. "_Bella_."

Another flash of pale, shimmering skin flitted through my mind. A shoulder, arm, hand. A large diamond ring on a slender finger. I tried hard to concentrate on the image, to see more, but once again it faded away quickly, leaving me even more frustrated than before.

"Yes," he hissed. "Bella is your weak link. Your love for your mate will eventually supersede your control. It's only a matter of time." His head cocked to the side, and a small, slightly malicious smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Or possibly the right amount of pressure…"

He nodded once more to the small woman at his side. Pain flooded through me anew, although it wasn't nearly as intense this time, and I couldn't give it all of my attention—I was too focused on the words that he had just uttered. My… _mate_? I frowned at the antiquated term. Ignoring the waves of agony that were washing over me, I glanced down at the hand that was held captive by his bony fingers. I was startled to find a large gold band encircling the ring finger on my left hand.

_I__'__m __married?_

The physical pain that had been coursing through my body faded even further as a new kind of pain took over. I was lost. Completely. The emptiness of my mind was soul chilling, worse than any external pain that could ever be inflicted upon me.

I had no memory of anything prior to waking up and finding this strange man hovering over me. And since I had awoken, I had been presented with an overwhelming amount of information that made no sense, facts that were impossible to believe: the endless fire—in my body prior to waking and in my throat ever since; the constant humming of mumbled voices in my head, when no one was visibly speaking; pain on demand from just a look; the sense of someone else invading my mind; impossible feats of strength with no dire consequences; sparkling skin; red eyes; and a _mate _I couldn't remember.

I did not know who I was or where I was or… _what_ I was.

I heard a sharp intake of breath and looked up to find him staring at me incredulously, a hint of confusion on his face. Then he laughed, a merry, tinkling sound that clashed with the intensity of his demeanor.

"What is this, Edward? Do you really expect me to believe that you don't remember anything? That you've forgotten who and what you are?"

He paused, and my mind was filled with the hum of five other people mumbling. Once again, I couldn't make out the words, and when I glanced to the side, their mouths weren't moving.

"You expect me to believe that you've forgotten your mate?" he continued. "That you've forgotten Bella?"

Another brief image, this one of a head thrown back in ecstasy. Although I couldn't see anything else, couldn't see what was happening to cause that look, I _knew_. I felt the connection in my gut. And lower—my body instantly responded to the image, growing hard. Taking a deep breath, the familiar scent I had detected earlier once again invaded my entire being, intensifying my feelings and emotions. Instinctively I knew it belonged to her.

My mate.

Bella.

"Yes…" he encouraged in an excited, breathy voice.

His hand squeezed tighter, and I felt an uncomfortable pinching in my mind as if he was trying to see more. A low growl rumbled in my chest. Even though it had only been a flash, I knew that he had witnessed an intimate moment. The fact that he was somehow invading my mind—seeing what I was seeing and feeling what I was feeling—felt like the ultimate betrayal.

Forcing words over my desiccated tongue and parched lips, I finally addressed my… captor. He could not be considered anything else.

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?"


	9. Introductions

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay, guys—my computer died, and the chapter was saved there. Luckily, it was a quick fix and all is well now. I started working on the next chapter yesterday, so hopefully I can knock it out in a few days.

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3**for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read. I made a few changes after they looked, so any mistakes are mine.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sacrificial Love<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Edward<strong>

At my words, the man dropped my hand and took several steps back. Once freed from his grip—both physical and mental—I staggered to my feet. When I took another breath, fire exploded in my throat. My hand drifted to my neck, brushing against a smooth indented mark. The scar ached slightly and itched horribly.

The man watched me cautiously, his fingers templed in front of his face and a frustrated frown pinching his features. "What to do with you, Edward?" he finally muttered. "This is _not_ what I anticipated!"

"Aro," the female called, drawing his attention. "You yourself stated that you didn't know if there would be complications. Give it some time," she soothed. "This was a very extreme situation, the worst we've attempted to… rectify. It took so long. It's almost as if he's a newborn all over again."

_Newborn?_

"I just don't know…" he murmured.

She looked at me, cocking her head to the side in contemplation. Then she reached out and took his hand in hers, although her eyes remained locked on mine.

"He needs to feed, Aro. He's disoriented, confused. Weak. Perhaps a meal will help?"

Suddenly, through the non-distinct murmuring, I heard two distinct words in her clear soprano:

_Trust me._

I shook my head slightly, breaking the eye contact.

"It will be interesting to see what he remembers… and what he doesn't," she continued.

"Yes... Yes, it will," he replied, a sly smile tweaking his lips.

Uncomfortable with the attention being paid to me, I took the opportunity to glance around. There were four other people surrounding me. They were adorned all in black, with heavy robes like the man who was obviously in charge.

"Since you don't seem to remember anything, Edward, I think that introductions are in order. I am Aro, and we have known each other for quite some time now." His words were pleasant enough, but there was an edge to his voice that belied the friendly introduction.

"This is Jane." He indicated the small woman at his side. Then he pointed at the four others in succession. "Renata, Felix, Heidi, and Chelsea."

His gaze returned to me. "You were… _injured_. Badly. In fact, for all intents and purposes, you were dead." He paused, letting the words sink in. "We've done our best to patch you back up, but obviously there's been some trauma. Hopefully, we'll figure out what that means sooner rather than later. I imagine that you're feeling rather… _thirsty_… about now?"

My fingers flexed against my throat. I nodded slightly.

"Felix!" Aro called.

A tall, dark-haired man stepped forward.

"Take Heidi and see what you can round up. I think we saw something promising on our way in?" he stated questioningly. The other man—Felix—gave an acknowledging nod, and Aro smiled in response. "Good. We'll be right behind you."

They were gone in a blink of the eye.

"We need to be on our way, Edward. Is there anything you'd like to take with you?" Aro asked cordially.

"What?" I croaked.

"We're leaving, of course, and you'll be coming with us," he stated. "I would tell you to take your time, but that's not really an option; we're already behind schedule. You have five minutes." He turned to the female at his side. "Jane, perhaps you'd like to help Edward? See that he gets anything he needs?"

She nodded, then stepped to the door and held her hand out as if to usher me inside. I walked into the cottage and was instantly assailed with an overwhelming sense of familiarity. I knew that I should remember. I could feel it there, trapped behind the blackness and clawing to get out: my memories. Yet everything in front of me was strange. I wandered from room to room trying desperately to recall something, _anything_, but it was fruitless.

In the bedroom, I sank to the bed, closed my eyes, and buried myself in the only recognizable thing: her scent. As I inhaled, vague images danced across the back of my eyelids—a wisp of long, brown hair, a flash of shimmering skin, the general shape of a small, slender woman. She was just about to turn in my direction when my silent introspection was interrupted.

"It's time, Edward."

"No!" I shouted, growling slightly in response as the fleeting image faded once more.

She misunderstood. "I'm sorry, Edward, but you have no choice," she stated resolutely. "You must come with us. Is there anything you'd like to take?"

Raising my head, I glared at her, but she did not respond in any way; the pleasant smile never faltered. I glanced around the room, taking it all in. Nothing spurred any memories. I shook my head infinitesimally.

"Okay. Let's go."

Standing up, I allowed her to escort me from the house.

"Where are we going?" I asked once we were outside. The rush of air scratched my dehydrated throat, intensifying the fiery sensation that was now burning out of control.

"We don't exactly know, yet," Aro replied, eying me speculatively. "We're waiting on you to tell us."

My brow pinched in confusion.

"We need to find Bella, Edward. It's imperative that we discover her… _talents_… and best learn how to utilize them. She is very important to us; you've known this for more than ten years now, ever since you visited us in Volterra, while she was still human. We've been quite patient, allowing you to establish and enjoy your marriage, but time is running out. We need her help. We must find her."

_Still human?_

"But we can't just wait here for your memory to return," he continued. "So for now, I think we'll head west."

He ushered me forward. As I passed, his hand came to settle on my shoulder.

"Maybe Alaska?" he suggested.

More images raced through my mind: a large house in the woods and another woman, this one blonde.

"Yes," he drawled. "I think Alaska will be a very good place to start."


	10. Ambrosia

**A/N:** So… once again I find myself having to apologize for the delay in updating. Got distracted by Halloween, then suffered from 3 weeks-worth of writer's block. *sigh* I am working on the next chapter, but I think that I've learned my lesson when it comes to making promises about when it might post. LOL

On another note, the FGB Breaking Dawn edition is currently underway, raising money for cancer research. This year, the organizers decided to put together a compilation, and I have submitted a contribution. A donation of at least $5 to the cause will give you access to the compilation—at least 50 authors are contributing.

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3**for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sacrificial Love<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Edward<strong>

The way he said it—and the shrewd way his eyes narrowed when he said it—gave me a chill. Something wasn't right. I had no idea what his, _their_, motives were, but I suspected that it wasn't nearly as altruistic as they would've had me believe. Aro wanted Bella. Badly. He would kill for her, as evidenced by the smoldering pile of ashes we had left behind. Yes, he had just saved my life, but I knew instinctively that he would just as quickly extinguish it if I didn't fulfill his purpose.

For now, my dysfunctional brain was my only ally. Unfortunately, it was also my biggest weakness; my mind was a complete blank. I had no clue where I was, who I was, or _what_ I was. Nor did I have any clue as to what was lying in wait for me on this forced excursion. Somehow, though, I knew that anywhere he wanted to go was someplace I did not need to be.

All I could do was trust my instincts. However, even they seemed… _off_.

The sun was now high in the morning sky, and I couldn't help but notice how my skin glittered brightly in response. While the others were robed completely from neck to toe, whenever the sun alit on their faces, the same thing happened. My ears were overly sensitive, picking up sounds from what seemed like miles away, not that there was much around; I could clearly hear the rustling of fabric from the three bodies that followed behind us as we departed the clearing by the cottage as well as the muffled hum of conversation that seemed to be taking place behind closed doors. My nose picked up each and every scent: the slight tang of the coniferous needles littering the ground; the heavy, dank scent of the damp earth; the slightly sweet fragrance of those that had departed ahead of us; and… her. Even in the woods, her familiar scent was everywhere, hugging me in a comforting manner.

We were on a path about a mile from the cottage when a concentrated cloud of that familiar scent hit me. It lingered provocatively at a crossroads, and I suspected that she had done the same before departing. Instinctively, I knew that she had gone this way the last time she travelled from the cottage. I veered to follow, needing the answers that she could provide, but before I had even taken one step, I realized that I couldn't lead them anywhere that she had gone; despite his calm, rational assurances, I did not trust Aro. I would never willingly help him locate Bella.

With one final inhalation, I turned away from the only familiar thing I'd encountered thus far and instead followed a person I had even less faith in than myself.

~/~

We'd been travelling for quite some time, moving leisurely yet far more quickly than I would have believed possible—just one more thing to my growing list of anomalies—when my entire body suddenly froze. My muscles became tense, ready to spring, and my mouth rapidly filled with thick saliva. A haze descended around me; it was as if I could see nothing, hear nothing, and feel nothing, except the need to get to the aroma that had just invaded each and every one of my senses.

If the scent earlier was home, comfort and familiarity, this was something else entirely. It was the sweetest ambrosia I'd ever smelled. I didn't know what it was, but I knew that I wanted it. No… I _needed_ it. I couldn't resist it; I didn't have the strength.

Lost in a vortex of need, I didn't even realize that I was running. I wasn't looking where I was going, but it didn't matter; my sense of smell was blindly leading me. With each step I took, the sweet scent grew stronger, more appealing and more intoxicating. With each deeply indrawn breath, I became more and more focused, more frenzied in my need to reach the source.

The sound of running footsteps and crunching leaves indicated that I was being followed. The same soprano voice from earlier called out to me.

"Edward! Stop!"

But I didn't stop; instead I increased my pace.

When a small hand landed on my arm, I turned with a snarling snap, which caused her to back off. Free from the interference, my pace increased even further. Although my feet were carrying me away from my would-be interceptor, I still heard the subsequent conversation clearly.

"Let him go." Aro's voice was oddly eager.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"This may ruin any chance of obtaining his help willingly."

"I need to see."

"This is a mistake, and you know it, Aro." Her voice was irritated and a bit angry. "He may not remember, but we do. How will he trust us in the future if we allow this to happen?"

"How will we have the upper hand if it doesn't?"

They'd obviously reached a crossroads in the conversation as all verbal communication halted. Or maybe I didn't register the rest of the exchange; when I burst through a line of trees into an open area, the searing pain that exploded in my throat drove all other thought from my mind. A figure was hunched on the ground, and I knew an instantaneous rage. With a feral growl, I sprinted across the meadow and hauled him off my target, flinging him away. I heard voices yelling behind me, but ignored them as I finally, _finally_, sank my teeth into soft flesh.

Warm, salty wetness hydrated my parched lips, tongue and throat. My fingers clutched desperately as I guzzled greedily. The warmth settled in my stomach, slowly filling the overly-empty space. But it wasn't enough; within seconds, I was sucking air. I dropped the limp, lifeless body to the ground and snatched up the next one, my chest rumbling in contentment when my mouth was once again filled with sweet ambrosia.


	11. Memory

**A/N: **Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks to **tiffanyanne3 **for the beta and **radar1230** for the pre-read. I made a few changes after they looked, so any mistakes are mine.

**Disclaimer:** The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

* * *

><p><strong><em>Sacrificial Love<em>**

* * *

><p><strong>Edward<strong>

As I drank, the weakness I hadn't even realized I was experiencing began to fade. As the pain in my throat receded, the smells and sounds from around me became crisper and cleaner. The voices were all atwitter at the moment, especially the one I had tossed aside so effortlessly; he was obviously itching for retribution.

"There are courtesies, Aro!" he complained hotly. "Especially concerning feeding. Everyone knows this—you've made certain of it. Disrespect is _always_ punished."

"In most cases, I would agree, Felix." Aro's voice was conciliatory, but at the same time, resolute. "This, however, is a special situation, a unique set of circumstances. He is as green as a newborn, obviously as unpredictable, and apparently without memory. He is unaware of the… rules."

"It's our job to teach them," Felix growled.

"Again… in most cases, I would agree. But this time… Well, this time, I'm far more interested in observing than punishing."

The conversation trailed off, yet I registered that not all of the dialogue was vocal. The nondescript hum of conversation that had previously been buzzing in my head was now crystal clear. It took me a moment to realize that I was hearing their thoughts.

Felix was still grumbling about payback, teaching lessons and enforcing the rules.

Aro was contemplating how much more I would need to eat before my strength returned and we could continue our journey to Alaska.

The tinkling soprano voice was worried about how I would respond when I regained my memory and realized what I had done.

For a moment, her words caused me to wonder. _What __I __had __done?_ Then I was once again gulping air instead of nourishment, and all questions fled my mind. The need to feed once again dominated. I dropped the spent, lifeless body and moved on to the next. Ignoring its terrified screams, I snapped its neck efficiently and effortlessly before burying my teeth in tender flesh and drinking deeply.

_Will __we __get __to __feed __at __all, __or __was __this __all __for __him?_ Felix thought bitterly. _I __should __reap __the __benefits __of __my __own __hunt!_

From the corner of my eye, I saw him move slightly in my direction. I growled lowly, deep in my chest, and my arms circled the object in my arms possessively, pulling it closer to my chest as if I could protect it from him. The sound of crunching bones barely registered as my teeth sank even deeper and rich liquid flowed freely into my mouth. As my stomach filled, the frenzy to feed began to diminish. Slowly, I began to come back to myself, although I was still growling possessively and clutching desperately at the object in my arms.

_Yes! _Aro thought triumphantly_.__**This **__is __natural. __**This **__is __the __way __things __should __be, __not __Carlisle__'__s __abominable __attempt __to __be__… __humane. _He snorted in derision. _Feeding __only __on __animals __is __ludicrous, __impossible! __It __will __never __fill __the __need, __never __taste __as __sweet__…_

His thoughts finally jolted me from the haze in which I'd been ensnared. I reluctantly lifted my head, a few drops of liquid trailing down my chin. Raising a hand, I brushed at the mess, feeling the warm stickiness spread against my face and fingers. As if in slow motion, I glanced down to my hand; it was stained crimson, and though I was now fully replete, my mouth began to water anew at the sight. Unable to stop, I lifted my hand in order to lick the blood from my fingers.

"It tastes good, doesn't it?" Aro asked. His voice was sickly sweet and overly pleased.

I paused in my action, fingers hovering in front of my lips. My eyes darted to his face. He was smiling victoriously.

"Personally, I don't know how you've lived so long abiding by Carlisle's misguided sense of compassion. Doesn't it feel good? Eating your natural prey…" He cocked his head to the side and quirked his eyebrow in question.

An odd tugging sensation teased the corners of my mind, almost like a rubber band being stretched to encompass an object. When it snapped back into place, realization—and memory—came with it. My gaze moved from his face to the now-unrecognizable mass in my arms, and I gasped in horror. Dropping the body to the ground, I collapsed next to it, overcome with shame and self-loathing. I tore at my hair, spreading the blood—the damning evidence of my weakness—all over my head.

"No!" I screamed.

"Welcome back, Edward," he stated pleasantly.

I turned on him with a growl. Memories flashed through my mind. I saw it all—my life with Carlisle and my family, my relationship with Bella, my… _history_… with those standing in front of me here today: standing before Aro eleven years ago, asking for death when I thought Bella was dead; Aro's obvious interest in Bella when she was presented a few days later, immune to their powers; the gift he sent Bella upon hearing of our engagement; the messages from Volterra following our marriage, always asking about Bella; the constant moving ever since, along with the knowledge that they would never rest, that we were never safe…

"Yes… I see that you've remembered now. Good, good…" he stated, advancing on me with hand outstretched.

I recoiled in response. "Don't touch me!" I yelled as I scrambled to my feet and out of his reach.

"Now, now, Edward. Don't be like that," he chided, hand still outstretched. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It's up to you."

Although I knew that escape was next to impossible, the blood now flowing in my veins gave me a strength I hadn't felt in years. The six Volturi members were all standing in front of me; the path to the woods behind was clear. Without further thought, I turned to run.

Aro tsked. "Jane? A little help, please?"

I'd only taken one step when searing pain once again dropped me to my knees.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I stayed with Edward a bit longer than planned this time because I didn't want to break up the recollections of his rebirth and first few experiences. We'll be hearing from Bella again for the next few chapters.

Thanks for reading!

:)

KL


End file.
